Men's 1st Team Vs Oswestry

Yardley’s week-end off last week did not do them many favours as, back in action, they fell to another heavy defeat in a high scoring game in the Warwick Printing Hockey League, West Midlands Division 1.

The long trek to North Shropshire to face Oswestry left them somewhat slow off the mark as the home team set off like an express train and soon got themselves on the score-sheet.  Gradually Yardley got into the game and managed to score through a short corner routine that was only partially cleared. Gavin Hetherington pounced  on the loose ball and hit a pass into the D that the alert Alex Makepeace managed to touch to deflect the ball into the goal through the advancing keeper’s legs.

The home side were always the stronger and scored another four before half-time. However they did themselves no favours by having a player yellow- carded for back-chat to the umpire. Whilst down to ten men they then also had another green-carded for a challenge to an umpire’s decision.

Unfortunately, Yardley were unable to capitalise on this situation,  but did manage a second goal before the break from another short corner routine. Makepeace and Hetherington combined again to set up skipper Zach Jarvis whose drag-flick attempt on goal was too powerful for the keeper to prevent a goal being scored.

Even though the game was all but done and dusted by the break, Yardley did not surrender meekly. They came out strongly for the second period and produced a much better performance, putting their opponents under more pressure in their own half and showed much more creativity. However, they could not prevent Oswestry scoring three more before the end. Dogged to the end, Yardley did manage a third themselves, from yet another short corner. A first shot on goal rebounded off the keeper, a second attempt did the same before Noor Zaman finally followed up to power the ball into the net over the goal-keeper.

This week Yardley face another daunting task, away at West Bromwich.

Report compiled by Peter Brainch from information supplied by skipper Zach Jarvis